As the last vestiges of winter ebb away from Cape Cod this spring, the Hyannis Youth and Community Center will host one last winter hurrah when it welcomes the 2011 Nations Cup and the US National Theatre on Ice Championships.

Set to take place at the beginning of April, the events will feature skaters from across the world taking part in competitive events that will be held on the ice at the HYCC.

“It’s a great opportunity, and we are very thrilled to bring this event to Cape Cod in April,” said Donna Wunder, the competitive chairman for the Yarmouth Ice Club, which is helping organize the event.

The event marks the first time that the Nations Cup will be held on American soil. It took place last year in Toulouse, France.

Teams from the US, France, Russia, Spain, Australia and the Ukraine will compete in the Nations Cup from April 6-8, followed by the US National Theatre on Ice Competition, slated for April 8-10.

According to Wunder, Theatre on Ice combines all the best elements of figure skating and live theatre, with skaters telling a story through specialized choreography and music.

Wendy Northcross, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, is excited that the Cape was chosen as the ideal destination for the competitions, remembering a time when the Chamber envisioned the Cape as a destination for spectator sporting events.

“This is what we’ve been talking about,” she said. “This is going to put us on the map in a lot of ways.”

While event organizers still need to raise roughly $60,000 of an anticipated $100,000 toward the event, Northcross feels it will be a bonus for Hyannis and the surrounding communities.

“I think it’s going to be a fabulous, fun thing to go and see,” she said. “This is what we mean when we say sports on Cape Cod can put heads in beds and seats in restaurants.”

The Nations Cup and Theatre on Ice event will be held at the HYCC April 6-10. Tickets are $45 for a competition pass, or $15 per day in advance. After April 1, ticket prices increase to $60 and $20. For more information visit www.2011nationscup.com, or stop in to the HYCC.

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